Bike ride close to this man’s heart
WHEN Dan Elsden went to Brisbane for a cardiac procedure 15 years ago, he bought his family’s Christmas presents early “just in case”.
Fast forward to 2019 and people like him with supraventricular tachycardia can have their radio frequency fibrillation procedure in Cairns.
Mr Elsden, now aged 46, is about to saddle up and ride in the Mt Franklin Cardiac Challenge for a second time to help support the health services that were there for him.
“It was pretty scary going to Brisbane for the procedure. They let me have my wife with me, but our children couldn’t come, so we had to find carers for them. Going away like that, you have to plan for the worst,” he said.
“My procedure was relatively quick but the fear factor beforehand was pretty bad.”
“It’s pretty special that through the Cardiac Challenge, and the electrophysiology services that are opening, that people won’t have to travel for that anymore. I decided to do the Cardiac Challenge last year because someone said I couldn’t do it.
“So I signed up eight weeks before. I didn’t even have a bike and I hadn’t ridden for 20 years.
“And it was eight weeks of hell in training, but doing the ride was absolutely mentally stimulating and uplifting.
“My wife said she’d never seen me so happy.”
The Cardiac Challenge is hosted by the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation and has raised more than $3.1 million in that time.
Funds raised this year will go towards a paediatric cardiology ultrasound, a respiratory ultrasound and further cardiac equipment.
The Cardiac Challenge, in its 13th year, is an annual 327km bike ride from Cairns to Cooktown.
It will be held from September 20-23.
Donations can be made at www.cardiacchallenge.com.au